If you want to keep your entire family happy and healthy, make sure everyone gets enough sleep each night. You need plenty of sleep to perform well at your job and to provide a quality life to your family, and children need enough quality sleep to pay attention at school.
The problem, though, is that you might think you are too busy to maintain a proper sleep schedule for everyone. This guide offers tips you can use to give yourself and your family the sleep they need to thrive.
Lead by example
Children look to their parents and other respected adults in their lives to see how they should live. Many parents tell their children something but don’t lead by example. While you can use punishment to earn their compliance, you must set a good example if you want your lessons to stick.
In addition to telling your children how important sleep is, show them that you hold yourself to the same standard. Setting a bedtime for yourself and sticking to it is just one way you can lead by example. When you follow the advice you give, your children are much more likely to follow in your footsteps.
Set a consistent bedtime
Having a consistent bedtime is another step in the right direction when prompting quality sleep is your goal. Our bodies have an internal clock that regulates when we fall asleep and when we wake up. If you go to bed later than normal one night, you might sleep longer than expected the next morning.
Or you might get up at the same time and be so tired that you fall asleep much sooner than normal. Either way, an inconsistent bedtime makes it hard to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. If you want to keep your children as healthy as possible, give them a set bedtime each night. You can, however, make exceptions if they don’t have school or other obligations early the next morning.
Shut electronics off one hour before bed
In our modern world, most children and teens spend a lot of time on smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices. A lot of them also make a habit of watching TV before bed, but those habits can harm the quality of your sleep.The light emitted by TVs and other devices interfere with your body’s natural sleep cycle. We have evolved to stay awake during the day and rest at night, and the light for these devices stops the body from releasing sleep hormones. Defeat that problem by turning all electronics off an hour before bed.
A quality mattress for quality sleep
If you want to rest well each night, the quality of your mattress is more important than you likely think. A low-quality mattress can make it a lot harder for you to fall asleep at night, and it can even make you wake up throughout the night. Getting a high-quality mattress in Brisbane, on the other hand, promotes restful sleep and lets you wake up feeling refreshed. Make sure everyone in the family has a quality mattress.
Stay active during the day
Physical activity does wonders for the quality of your sleep. If you don’t move much during the day, you have a lot of extra energy you never burn, and children are much more vulnerable to this problem. Also, 20 minutes of exercise triggers the release of hormones that promote a positive mood and outlook.If you want to reduce stress and anxiety, you must commit to 20 minutes of physical activity each day and encourage your children to do the same. Ideally, set aside some time for you and your children to do fun activities that burn energy and promote restful sleep. In addition to helping you and your family sleep well, regular exercise also provides a range of other health benefits you won’t want to miss.
Final thoughts
A lack of sleep causes many problems that interfere with daily life, a trap you don’t want to face. If you want your children to grow up healthy, make sure they also get enough sleep each night. Keeping the whole family on a strict sleep schedule won’t be easy at first, but it becomes natural in time.
You and your children can expect increased energy levels, boosted immune systems and other benefits when you use these tips to get quality sleep. Since the quality of your sleep impacts the way you perform during the day, achieving healthy sleep habits is more than worth it.